BOSTON -- For much of last night, Erik Bedard labored in his featured pitching matchup with ace Josh Beckett, battling not only a tough Boston Red Sox lineup, but also dehydration. He couldn't consistently throw his fastball over the plate. His curveball was darting into the dirt before hitting the inside of catcher Ramon Hernandez's mitt. And late in his outing, Bedard, his face flush white, admitted he felt as if he might faint right out on the mound.

The pinpoint control and dominant stuff that Erik Bedard has had for much of this month was absent. Struggling to get his fastball over the plate for a strike, Bedard walked five Red Sox in six innings, tying his career high. But amazingly, Bedard left the game after the sixth inning, allowing only two runs on David Ortiz's third-inning home run. Bedard allowed just two hits - both to Ortiz - and struck out six. He improved to 5-0 with a 2.21 ERA in six J...